According to Google, the most searched term for 2021 was not coronavirus. It wasn’t quarantine, delta, or even antibodies, either. In fact, the most searched term was (drumroll please): NBA.
Yes, though the pandemic is still with us, the focus of world-wide internet users has shifted from virus variants to...
By Brittany Kirke
Navy Veteran and former Bay County Firefighter Michael Olson was left disabled after fighting a fire in Panama City Beach. He was able to return to work briefly after his spinal fusion, however, after undergoing several surgeries to alleviate the pain in his back, Michael still suffers...
By Bill Husfelt, Superintendent, Bay District Schools
While we’re busy spending time with loved ones during the holidays, we’re also in the middle of our annual celebration of our more than 3,000 employees through our Excellence in Education Awards.
Annually, our schools nominate one employee to represent them as Teacher of...
By By Glenda Nouskhajian, Principal, Hutchison Beach Elementary School
After a Category 5 hurricane and a worldwide pandemic disrupted our learning, Hutchison Beach Elementary was ready to R.E.S.E.T. for the 2021-2022 school year. Our faculty and staff aspire to Reach Each Student Every Time. How do we do this? By...
Enjoy not one but two great opportunities to welcome in the New Year. The streets of Pier Park are closed off to traffic as thousands of revelers enjoy free live music, entertainment, fireworks, and good cheer.
For those too excited to wait until midnight, or for those fans of New...
By Julie McConnell, UF/IFAS Extension Bay County
As we enter the holiday season, a common item of décor is mistletoe. The tradition of stealing a kiss beneath mistletoe hung in a doorway goes all the way back to the 16th century. Historically, this toxic plant was used to treat ailments...
By Jamie Zimchek
Fred Bassett bands birds, hummingbirds generally, over 35,000 of them specifically. If this fact does not at once boggle the mind, spend a second considering the logistics. To band a hummingbird, you have to catch a hummingbird. Having caught this tiny, flighty hummingbird, you have to fit...
“Leaders become great not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others.”
- John Maxwell
There are probably very few people in the community who didn’t know William “Pine” Buskell. Most knew him as Bill, “Pineapple” or “Pineapple Willy.” Fewer still were honored enough to call...
By Jamie Zimchek
It wasn’t all that long ago that traffic breezed right through the intersection of Griffin Boulevard and Panama City Beach Parkway, stoplight free. Back in those distant pre-stoplight days, there was nothing detectable on the corner either. Fast forward to 2021, and that new stoplight offers easy...
By Brittany Kirke
The holidays can be a particularly difficult time for those living in homelessness. Bay County’s homeless population has been steadily growing since Hurricane Michael in 2018. This growth is in addition to the already high concentration of homelessness in Panama City. With the housing market still inflated...
